Green Hydrogen Generation Utilizing Efficient Phthalocyanine-Based Electrocatalyst

Energy production and use must be in balance with the ecosystem since it is a necessary part of life. Among the many renewable and non-renewable energy sources, hydrogen is considered a sustainable and green energy source. Sustainable hydrogen production will be required for the hydrogen economy, and this can be accomplished by electrochemically splitting water with efficient electrocatalysts. Because of their significant catalytic activity, low overpotential, and low energy consumption, platinum (Pt) and Pt-based catalysts are utilized. The hydrogen evolution reaction (HER), which uses pricey Pt catalysts to electrocatalytically reduce water to molecular hydrogen, has the potential to be a sustainable energy source; however, its limited availability and high cost limit its practical applicability. As a result, a simple, low-cost, stable, and environmentally friendly thiol-substituted cobalt phthalocyanine (MTCoPc) was utilized as an electrocatalyst for HER activity. MTCoPc/SP (SP: super-p) hybrid composite electrocatalyst demonstrated good HER catalytic performance in 1 M KOH, with overpotentials of 110 and 169 mV at current densities of 10 and 50 mA cm^-2, respectively. The MTCoPc/SP hybrid composite's remarkable activity toward HER and long-term stability make it a potential electrocatalyst for real-time application.